Adjustable trouser-like garment

ABSTRACT

A trouser-like garment consists of two complementary halfsections. The half-sections are permanently joined only at their crotch portion. The parts of the half-sections include flap portions which are adjustably and releasably secured to each other in overlapping position at the front and rear of the waist portion of the garment.

[11] 3,823,419 1451 July 16, 1974 United States Patent 1191 Breitbart ADJUSTABLE TROUSER-LIKE GARMENT [76] Inventor:

1,858,201 5/1932 Kimmcl............... 2,113,732 4/1938 Koppel...

George J. Breitbart, 25 E- t 3/1955 Lawson.......... 2/227 x New York, NY 10003 3/1963 Brooks et 2/010. 6 Feb. 9, 1973 [221 Filed:

Primary Examiner-H. Hampton Hunter 211 Appl. No.: 331,231

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edward F. Levy plementary permanently joined parts of the halfp portions which are adjustably and lapping posie h t f 0 n .w h m o 0 P C 6 Vt. W O.% H 6 W T .0 mm a e C hum A Sn m RMM.w O T fi r. so r 0 H m w At p r n1 0 eah t m m a eofle h I T v m TU i ef uhn C ww mmzmw m Sb mm mwm a 7Uwl 1Nflem an 1.. UAhOMMmfi W% 2 4 G2 2. 12 1D 5 m MB M S 4 "73 mm 2 n2 2 P WNW S "H. mm M mT m ws mum 8 mwm E Mme T s M 1 2m U l. mm .P UhF HUM 555 5 1111. r1.

238,574 3/188] 2/227 garment 912,642 2/1909 Baker 2/237 8Claims,8Drawing; Figures 1 ADJUSTABLE TROUSER-LIKE GARMENT The present invention relates to garments, particularly to garments which are generally referred to as trousers or pants. This type of garment consists conventionally of a torso portion formed integrally with the leg portions and releasably closed at a fly portion. Such conventional pair of trousers requires a substantially close fit around the waistband and in the region between the waistband and the crotch. This means that a garment of this type can only be fitted to a single person or a very small number of different persons having a similar figure, if a fit around the waistband and in the portions between the waistband and the crotch is desired.

In pajamas or similar garments, the trousers are usually provided in small, medium, or large sizes to fit persons having body sizes in these general ranges. Adjustment means, such as drawstrings, may be provided at the waistband to provide an.adjusted fit at the waist, but no provision is made for adjustment in the lower torso area of the body. Thus the garment may fit badly because of wide variations in the size of the stomach or buttock regions of the persons who purchase such garments according to the general size range indicated.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a trouser-like gamient which is adjustable in both the front and rear torso areas of the body and will therefore provide a satisfactory fit for persons having different figures, particularly persons whose figures bulge at front or rear below the waistline. v

Another object of theinvention is the provision of a "garment of the character described in which asingle size garment may be provided to accommodate allusers, whether the'users body size maybe in the'small, medium or large range. I

Another object of the invention istlie provisionfof a garment of the character described .which can' be quickly donned and removedand is adaptable for wearing by both men and Women.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a garment of the character described which is formed of few simple sections with a minimum of stitching, and can be manufactured economically. I

In accordance-with the present invention, there is provided a trouser-like garment formed of two complementary half-sections, each of which includes a leg portion and a torso portion. The torso portions of each half-section have flap portions at each end which are sized to overlap about the torso of the wearer, and a waist-band extending along the entire upper edge of the flap portions and torso portion. The half-sections are secured together only at the crotch portion thereof, leaving the torso portions and flap portions separated. Adjustable and releasable fastening means are provided along the waistbands for adjustably connecting the flaps together at the front and rear of the garment,

in selected overlapping positions.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the follow ing specification, when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the trouser-like garment showing the same in fully open position ready to be donned;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the garment in closed position on the wearer;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the garment with the rear flap portions secured to each other and the front flap portions open;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of one half-. section of the trouser-like garment with the flaps in the wearing position;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a piece of material cut to form a blank from which the half sections of the garment are each formed;

. FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the waistband portion of the trouser-like garment showing alternative securing means;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the waistband portion of the trouser-like garment showing a different embodiment of the securing means; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the waistband portion of the trouser-like garment showing a still further embodiment of the securing means.

Referringin detail to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a trouser-like garment lil made in accordance with the present invention. The garment 10 is shown in open position, enabling the wearer to slip the garment over his legs.

The garment 10 comprises two complementary halfsections 12 and 14 which are identical or substantially identical. FIG. 4 shows the half-section 12 before it is attached to the other half-section 14 to form the completed garment. The half-section 12 comprises a tubular leg portion 16, a crotch portion 18 at the inner upper end of the leg portion, and a torso portion 20.

Thetorso portion 20 is formed as an integralcontinus i 1 ation of the leg portion 16 extending upwardly there I I from .except at the'crotch portion '18, and is shaped to provide a pairof integral fiapportions22 and 24 which are sized to extend overlappingly around a substantial portion of the wearers torso. At its upper end, the

torso portion is provided with a waistband 26 which extends along the extent of theflap portions 22 and 24.

The half-section 12 may be formed of a single piece of material in the form of the blank 28 shown in FIG. 5. A rectangular panel 30 is provided to form the leg portion 16, the panel 30 having side edges 32 and 34 which are parallel or downwardly converging and upper edges 36 and 38 which form the crotch portion 18. The blank 28 also includes an inverted triangular panel 40 integral with and extending centrally from the upper end of the rectangular panel 30. The triangular panel 40 has a central section 42 which forms the torso portion 20 and a pair of end angular sections 44 and 46 which fomi the flap portions 22 and 24 of the completed half-section 12.

In forming the half-section 12, the panel 30 of blank 28 is folded inwardly and its side edges 32 and 34 are sewn together along seam line 48 (FIG. 4) to form the tubular leg portion 16. As shown in FIG. 4,-this brings the crotch edges 36 and 38 into abutment with each other to form an inner crotch line 18 at the junction of the leg portion 16 with the torso portion 20.

The other half-section 14 is formed in an identical manner from a blank 28, and has the same leg portion 16, crotch portion 18, and torso portion 20 terminating In making the completed garment from the halfsections 12 and 14, the latter are brought together into confronting relationship and are secured together only at the crotch portions 18 thereof. For this purpose the crotch lines 18 of both half-sections are connected together by a stitch line 54, as shown in FIG. 1 to form the assembled garment 10. The torso portions 20 and flap portions 23, 24 and 50, 52 of the half-sections are not secured to each other and may be widely separated as shown in FIG. I which illustrates the garment in fully open condition.

Means are provided at the waistline of the garment for removably fastening the flap portions together in selected adjusted positions. By way of illustration, such fastening means are shown in FIGS. l-4 as comprising a row of buttonholes spaced along the waistband 26 of each half-section l2 and 14, preferably along the entire length thereof, and buttons 58 sized to fit within those buttonholes. The buttons 58 are preferably provided on the inside and outside of the waistband 26 of each halfsection, at both ends thereof, and may also be provided at intermediate portions, if desired. Buttons 58 on the inside and outside of the waistbands 26 will enable fastening of the flaps on the waistband at desired positions with a left-hand overlap, as illustrated in FIG. 2, or with a right-hand overlap.

In use of the garment 10, the wearer inserts his legs into the leg portions 16 in the usual manner with the torso portions separated as shown in FIG. 1. The rear flap portions are now brought against the body and are overlapped to the extent that they cover the rear torso of the wearers body with a snug fit. FIG. 3 shows the rear flap portions 22 and 52 in such overlapping position to complete the torso portion 20 of the garment at the rear thereof. The buttons 58 at the end of each overlapping flap are now inserted into appropriate buttonholes of the opposite flap to fasten the flaps in this adjusted overlapping position which fits the rear of the wearers body. The front flap portions 24 and 52 of the respective half-sections are now brought into overlapping position in the same manner until a snug comfortable fit is achieved in the front of the wearers body, and their buttons 58 inserted into the appropriate buttonholes 56. FIG. 2 shows the garment 12 with both the front flap portions and rear flaps portions overlapping and fastened in adjusted positions about the wearer s torso, indicated at 57.

Other means may be provided for fastening the panel portions together in adjusted positions. By way of example, FIG. 6 shows complementary male snap fasteners 59 and female snap fasteners 60 secured to the waistbands 26 of the panel portions, as a substitute for the buttons and buttonholes shown in FIGS. 14. In FIG. 7, the fastening means are shown as interlocking hooks 62 and loops 64, while in FIG. 8 there is shown complementary fastening surfaces 66 and 68 which adhere to each other when pressed together, such surfaces being commercially marketed under the trademark Velcro."

It will be appreciated that the garment 10 shown herein is particularly appropriate for use as pajama trousers, the conventional garment of this type being usually provided with drawstrings about the waist portion or an elasticized waistband fastened with snap fasteners or buttons. While satisfactory adjustment of such conventional garments may be achieved at the waist portion, the lower torso portion may be too large or too small at front, rear or both, and cause discomfort in wearing. With the overlapping panels at both front and rear of the garment 10 of the present invention, adjustments may be made at either the front, rear, or both to provide a snug comfortable fit at these areas of the wearers body, regardless of the body sizes of the wearers.

Trouser-like garments according to the present invention will be of particular utility for use in institutions, such as hospitals. They may be used by the medical staff since a single size of trousers can be used by a number of people having different figures, particularly different shapes below the waistline. The garment is easily donned and easily removed. The removal is particularly easy since releasing of the securing means on the flaps will allow the garment to fall to the floor without further movement by the wearer.

The trouser-like garment could also be used by patients, particularly by those who are bedridden and have to be quickly clothed for movement to other rooms, such as for X ray examination or for special treatment. The minimum of movement of the lower extremities of the patient is required.

The construction of the trousers and the manner of donning the garment has been described as front and back. It should be noted, and can be seen from the drawings, that the front and the back are identical so that the garment can be put on either way.

From the above description will be seen that there has been described a trouser-like garment which may be inexpensively manufactured since it consists of two essentially identical half-sections which will be sewn at the crotch portion, to form the complete garment.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, it is obvious that numerous additions, changes and omissions may be made in such embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A trouser-like garment comprising two complementary half-sections,

each half-section comprising a leg portion, a crotch portion at the inner upper end of the leg portion, and a torso portion,

said torso portion having a pair of triangular flap portions sized to extend around a substantial portion of the wearers body, and a waistband extending along the tops of said flap portions,

said two half-sections being permanently joined at said crotch portion only, and

adjustable and releasable securing means extending in a line along said waistband above each flap portion for adjustably securing together the respective flap portions of each half-section in overlapping relationship about the wearers body.

2. A trouser-like gannent as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said torso portions comprises a center portion having two sides,

a first flap portion extending from one side of said center portion, and

a second flap portion extending from the other side of said center portion,

the first flap portion of one of said half-sections being adapted to overlap and be releasably and adjustably secured to the second flap portion of said other half-section.

6 3. A trouser-like garment as defined in claim 2, tonholes. wherein said flap portions are substantially triangular 6. A trouser-like garment as defined in claim 1, and each comprises an edge portion spaced from said wherein said adjustable and releasable securing means center portion. comprises hooks.

4. A trouser-like garment as defined inclaim 2, 5 7. A trouser-like garment as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said triangular flap portions comprises wherein said adjustable and releasable securing means an edge portion spaced from said center portion, said comprises snap fasteners. edge portion being arcuate. 8. A trouser-like garment as defined in claim 1,

5. A trouser-like garment as defined in claim 1, wherein said adjustable and releasable securing means wherein said adjustable and releasable securing means 10 comprises self gripping strips.

comprises a plurality of buttons and a plurality of but- 

1. A trouser-like garment comprising two complementary half-sections, each half-section comprising a leg portion, a crotch portion at the inner upper end of the leg portion, and a torso portion, said torso portion having a pair of triangular flap portions sized to extend around a substantial portion of the wearer''s body, and a waistband extending along the tops of said flap portions, said two half-sections being permanently joined at said crotch portion only, and adjustable and releasable securing means extending in a line along said waistband above each flap portion for adjustably securing together the respective flap portions of each halfsection in overlapping relationship about the wearer''s body.
 2. A trouser-like garment as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said torso portions comprises a center portion having two sides, a first flap portion extending from one side of said center portion, and a second flap portion extending from the other side of said center portion, the first flap portion of one of said half-sections being adapted to overlap and be releasably and adjustably secured to the second flap portion of said other half-section.
 3. A trouser-like garment as defined in claim 2, wherein said flap portions are substantially triangular and each comprises an edge portion spaced from said center portion.
 4. A trouser-like garment as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said triangular flap portions comprises an edge portion spaced from said center portion, said edge portion being arcuate.
 5. A trouser-like garment as defined in claim 1, wherein said adjustable and releasable securing means comprises a plurality of buttons and a plurality of buttonholes.
 6. A trouser-like garment as defined in claim 1, wherein said adjustable and releasable securing means comprises hooks.
 7. A trouser-like garment as defined in claim 1, wherein said adjustable and releasable securing means comprises anap fasteners.
 8. A trouser-like garment as defined in claim 1, wherein said adjustable and releasable securing means comprises self-gripping strips. 